With concerns about the long-term impact of concussions and how to properly treat them at an all-time high, UF is ahead of the curve in its research. Florida is involved in a landmark concussion study in alliance with the NCAA and U.S. Department of Defense.

The visit by Collins, a renowned expert in sports-related concussions and member of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Concussion Program, provided an opportunity for members of Florida’s athletic department to learn more about the sports world’s most discussed injury in recent years.

“There is a lot of new information around concussion management,’’ Collins said. “This is a manageable, treatable injury. It presents differently in every patient we see. It’s time to change the conversation about this.”

Gators football coach Jim McElwain, volleyball coach Mary Wise and swimming coach Gregg Troy were among those in attendance.

Kelly Price of GatorVision covered the event. To watch her report, check out the following video:

And of course, a pretty good 12-season run at Florida from 1990-2001. In another hard-to-believe fact heading into the 2015 season, can you believe it’s been 25 years since Spurrier returned to Florida and turned the Gators into national championship contenders for more than a decade?

Spurrier’s age was hot topic at SEC Media Days. Like always, Spurrier had some fun with the chatter.

“A lot of familiar faces out there after a lot of years coming to this event,’’ he said. “I figured a bunch of you guys would have retired by now.”

“Just kidding,” he added before launching into another entertaining media session as the SEC’s preseason hype event.

When asked if retirement was on his mind, Spurrier acknowledged he was downtrodden at the end of a 6-6 regular season in 2014 before an Independence Bowl win over Miami rejuvenated him in looking ahead to this season.

“People ask, ‘Why are you still coaching?’ I forgot to get fired and I’m not going to cheat,’’ he quipped. “We’ve still never won an SEC [championship] and no one is giving us a chance this year, which is good.

“Age really doesn’t mean a lot. It’s just a number on your years. It’s not what’s important – it’s whether or not you can function physically, mentally, emotionally and get your team ready to play. That retirement thing – I don’t think I’d be very good at it.”

Spurrier is joining first-year Gators head coach Jim McElwain and other SEC field bosses in Connecticut on Tuesday for ESPN’s annual “Car Wash” interviews.

As he does so, take a close look at the Head Ball Coach.

Does he really seem older than SEC legends such as Bear Bryant, Shug Jordan, Vince Dooley, Gene Stallings, Johnny Majors, Johnny Vaught and Charlie McClendon in their final years on the sideline?

Not to me. But his birthday says otherwise.

Check out this recent video of one of Spurrier’s workouts and see why he seems younger than most 70-year-olds you know:

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – First, the bad news for the Gators: they are picked to finish fifth in the SEC East in media voting at the SEC Football Media Days on Thursday.

Next, the good news for the Gators: the SEC media rarely get it right when it comes to predicting the conference champion.

Since 1992 when the SEC split into divisions and the two division winners began playing in a championship game, the media have predicted the champion correctly only five times in 23 tries.

They got it right in 1994 (Florida), 1995 (Florida), 2007 (LSU), 2008 (Florida) and 2014 (Alabama).

Auburn hopes they get it right in 2015. The Tigers are predicted to win the conference title but not the SEC West (yes, confusing I know). Alabama is projected to win the West.

Meanwhile, Georgia is the media’s pick to win the SEC East.

In fairness, the media did pick Florida to finish third a season ago in the East and at 4-4, that’s where the Gators ended up. The Gators had never been picked to finish lower than third in the East prior to this season.

They hope to prove the media’s projection wrong in 2015 under first-year head coach Jim McElwain.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Increased attention on head injuries in football is an issue that has hovered over the game at the professional, college and youth levels in recent years.

The University of Florida and University Athletic Association are currently involved in a landmark concussion study in alliance with the NCAA and U.S. Department of Defense.

At the Southeastern Conference Football Media Days this week, Steve Shaw, the SEC coordinator of officials, announced the conference is adding an independent medical observer at each game in 2015 to monitor potential head and neck trauma.

The Gators took a leading position on the issue by utilizing a spotter in the replay booth and an additional certified athletic trainer on the sideline for all home games last season to serve as medical observers. Shaw said Florida and Georgia both utilized a medical observer for last season’s game in Jacksonville.

Shaw confirmed the league is taking steps to ensure that each medical observer has no ties to the schools involved.

“These guys will have the same screening component as football officials,’’ he said. “They can’t work their alma mater. They can’t if their wife works at a school, if they have a son or daughter that attends there, if they have any financial interest, if they played for or with the head coach. We have all that criteria that creates independent officials, and we’ll apply that to this medical observer as well.”

The medical observer will have communication with both benches and if a concern arises, he will contact game officials over their headsets to halt play.

“They'll communicate down to the referee and say, 'Hey, we need to get this individual out of the game,’ ’’ Shaw said. “The referee will make a simple announcement that it was a stop for an injury timeout.”

If a timeout prompted by the medical observer comes in the final minute of each half, the 10-second runoff rule implemented two years ago to protect against players faking injuries will not be enforced.

Shaw said the experiment was used at several games a season ago and there was never a stop in play via the medical observer.

“But if we have one stop and we save a potential concussion issue with a player, it’s all worth it,’’ he said.

Collins is one of the primary speakers at the event along with British-born coach Al Saunders, a longtime NFL assistant coach who spent three seasons as San Diego’s head coach in the late 1980s.

This isn’t the first time Collins has taken a summer trip across the pond to speak to the BAFCA. He did the same in 2011 when he was an assistant at Mississippi State.

Collins was the first assistant hired by Gators head coach Jim McElwain, leaving Mississippi State after four seasons to return to Florida, where he was FIU’s defensive coordinator in 2010 and linebackers coach/recruiting coordinator at UCF from 2008-09. He and McElwain crossed paths at Alabama.

We’ll catch up with Collins when he returns to share some of his insights about the trip.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The best part of the 2014 college football season was the way it ended.

And no Gator fans, I’m not talking about Urban Meyer winning his third national championship in colors other than orange and blue. I’m talking about the way the Buckeyes earned that title: in a four-team playoff.

Finally, after years of moaning and groaning about a broken BCS system, four qualified teams entered the national semifinals with a chance to win a title on the field.

Ohio State knocked off Alabama and Oregon in back-to-back games, leaving no doubt – at least in my eyes – the Buckeyes were the best team in the land when it mattered most.

Heck, the Buckeyes not only earned the title the old-fashioned way, those BCS-era computers determined Ohio State was the unanimous No. 1 team in the final College Football Computer Composite rankings, too.

The Billingsley, Colley, Massey, Sagarin and Wolfe computer formulas used numerous metrics the way the BCS formula did, including wins and losses, strength of schedule, home-field advantage, margin of victory (Massey and Sagarin), etc.

Those same computers ranked the Gators No. 31 at season’s end, moving Florida up three spots after its 28-20 victory over East Carolina in the Birmingham Bowl.

Where is this going?

OK, while the first season of the Jim McElwain era will ultimately be determined by how well the Gators do once the 2015 season kicks off Sept. 5 against New Mexico State, the Gators are considered a Top 25 team in at least one ranking.

The Football Power Index (FPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team's performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 10,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily.

According to ESPN’s FPI, Ohio State remains No. 1, followed by Alabama, Baylor, TCU and LSU.

Does that measurement take into account Florida’s questions at quarterback – does the FPI prefer Will Grier or Treon Harris? What about the Gators’ lack of experience on the offensive line, or the loss of defensive lineman Dante Fowler Jr.?

The FPI was unavailable for comment. For now, we’ll just have to take him at his numbers.

--Former UF player Abby Wambach played only four minutes in the USNWT’s win over China on Friday in the World Cup, but she contributed loudly writes Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times.

--Longtime Gators broadcaster Larry Vettel signed off at WRUF on Thursday afternoon. Vettel is relocating to New York City and made it clear he is not retiring, just exploring new challenges. Here is a Q&A with Vettel via the Stuart News from three summers ago that discusses his more-than-30-year career in Gainesville.

Note: Vettel references legendary UF alum Red Barber’s book “The Broadcasters,” which I happened across in Jackson Street Booksellers in Omaha during Florida’s trip to the College World Series and added to my library.

--The Gators were knocked out of the CWS by eventual national champion, but don’t be surprised if Florida returns next season writes Teddy Cahill of Baseball America.

“Statistics are about as interesting as first base coaches.’’ – Former big-league pitcher and “Ball Four” author Jim Bouton

*****

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Regardless of which view you prefer, there is no doubt baseball is a game of failure, inches and, yes, numbers. For more on the topic read “The Numbers Game” by Alan Schwarz.

The college baseball season ends tonight with either Vanderbilt or Virginia being crowned national champion in Omaha.

The Gators’ stay in Omaha ended late Saturday night with a 5-4 loss to the Cavaliers. Speaking of numbers, the Cavaliers finished 15-15 in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season and are now one victory away from a championship.

As one is apt to hear around the ballpark, “that’s baseball.”

Before we close the book completely on the 2015 season, here are some interesting tidbits gleaned from the Gators’ end-of-season statistics book:

-- Senior 3B Josh Tobias led the team in hitting with a .355 average, 86 points above his career average entering the season. Tobias’ turnaround raised his final UF career average to .301, an impressive feat for a player who earned playing time most of his career because of his glove.

-- Freshman C/DH JJ Schwarz hit .491 (28-for-57) in 15 postseason games with five doubles, four home runs and 19 RBIs. Three days after his final at-bat in Omaha, Schwarz pinch-hit during the USA Baseball National Collegiate Team’s 9-2 loss to Chinese Taipei on Tuesday night in Cary, N.C.

-- Sophomore starter Logan Shore (11-6, 2.72 ERA) had just two no-decisions in 19 starts. As documented in this blog from Omaha, Shore was excellent in five postseason starts, going 5-0 with a 2.43 ERA.

-- Sophomore OF Buddy Reed showed tremendous improvement at the plate in his second season. Reed’s batting average (.305) increased 61 points over his freshman season and his .566 on-base percentage was second to Schwarz’s .629 among UF’s regulars.

-- Florida’s top four starting pitchers, all set to return next season, combined to finish 31-13 with a 3.35 ERA. Shore, A.J. Puk (9-4, 3.81), Alex Faedo (6-1, 3.23) and Dane Dunning (5-2, 4.03) offer a lot of optimism heading into next season. Faedo was especially good at home (5-0, 1.50 ERA), striking out 36 and allowing 30 hits in 36 innings.

-- The Gators committed only 42 errors in 70 games, 58 miscues less than their opponents.

-- After hitting only 26 home runs in 2014, the Gators clubbed 66 this season, led by 18 from Schwarz and 17 from junior OF Harrison Bader, who led the team with five in the postseason.

-- No player enjoyed stepping into the batter’s box more at McKethan Stadium as opposed to on the road than Bader, who hit .370 at home (36 games) compared to .181 on the road (19 games). Meanwhile, Reed hit .288 at home (38 games) compared to .338 (19 games) on the road. Overall, the Gators hit .320 in 39 home games and .249 in 19 road games. Note: Neutral site games not included.

-- Tobias (.414) was the Gators’ best hitter in games Florida won; freshman C Michael Rivera was the team’s top hitter (.273) in games lost.

-- Junior SS RichieMartin, the only player to start every game in the field, led the team by getting hit by a pitch 16 times, or seven more errors than Martin made in 316 defensive chances. Martin made 12 less errors than his sophomore season.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida fans have been familiar with soccer star Abby Wambach since she arrived at UF from Pittsford, N.Y., 17 years ago and led the Gators to the program's only national title in her freshman season.

The 35-year-old Wambach is now a veteran international soccer figure, trying to help the U.S. National Women's Team win the 2015 World Cup in what is expected to be her final appearance in the event.

Wambach had an opportunity to tie former Brazil star Marta -- you know you're good when you only need one name -- as the all-team leading goal scorer in women's World Cup history in Monday's 2-0 win against Colubia.

However, Wambach's second-half penalty shot missed wide, leaving her one off Marta's mark of 15.

OMAHA, Neb. -- Logan Shore wasn't worried even if Florida fans on social media seemed a bit anxious after Virginia scored a run in the first inning Friday.

Shore was far removed from that vortex as he worked on the mound on a sunny afternoon at TD Ameritrade Park.

Virginia leadoff hitter Adam Haseley reached on an infield single, and after shortstop Daniel Pinero sacrificed him to second, Haseley scored on a single up the middle by Matt Thaiss to put the Cavaliers ahead three batters into the game.

Shore buckled down and retired the next two hitters to end the inning.

"The first inning I thought I made some good pitches,'' Shore said. "They just did a good job and put a couple of balls into play that found a hole. I really didn't think about that run too much."

Making his fifth start of the postseason, Shore settled in and didn't allow another Virginia runner to reach third until the seventh inning.

By that time the Gators had a comfortable lead in their 10-5 victory.

Shore won his fifth consecutive postseason start (5-0, 2.43 ERA) and once again showed why he is considered Florida's ace. The sophomore right-hander became the first UF pitcher to win two games in a College World Series and won his 11th game, the most since Hudson Randall won 11 in 2011.

Shore (29 2/3 IP, 27 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 5 BB, 24 SO) has been money in the postseason, twice staving off elimination with stellar outings. He defeated Auburn in the SEC Tournament after the Gators lost their opener to Arkansas.

"He's very, very consistent,'' Gators head coach Kevin O'Sullivan said. "He's finally getting some run support. He wasn't getting any run support on Friday nights. You look back, and we're 0-1 in five of the 10 [SEC] weekend series.

"A lot of that had to do not with because he didn't pitch well, but because we hadn't scored any runs for him. We're giving him some run support so he can get a chance to breathe and every pitch isn't a nail-biter. He's being able to relax and settle into a game."

If the Gators advance to the CWS championship series with a victory tonight against Virginia, Shore is likely to start Game 3 if necessary on Wednesday.

If Friday's outing was his final appearance of the season, Shore will enter his junior season ranked among the top returning pitchers in the country. He's won 18 games the past two seasons.

Shore said he used the same approach Friday that he did a month ago in his victory over Auburn. In a win-or-lose situation, you limit the damage and give your offense a chance.

The plan worked to perfection as Florida scored four runs in the third and five in the sixth.

"I've got to credit a lot to my offense and defense,'' he said. "Every time I go out there, they put up 10 runs. And they're making great plays behind me. [Josh] Tobias had a great play at third. Richie [Martin] is making plays, [Dalton] Guthrie is making plays -- I mean everybody is making plays, everybody is contributing."

OMAHA, Neb. -- The Gators won their 10th consecutive game on Saturday, hammering Miami 15-3 in their first game of the College World Series.

Next up is Virginia, a 5-3 winner over Arkansas on Saturday.

The Cavaliers (40-22) are back in Omaha after making it all the way to the championship series a year ago before falling to Vanderbilt.

Florida (50-16) reached the 50-win mark for just the fourth time in school history in its impressive victory over the Hurricanes, using an 11-run fourth inning to win their first CWS game since 2011.

The Gators will take the field tonight as the hottest team in Omaha. However, it will be later than planned.

With Sunday's Cal-State Fullerton-Vanderbilt game suspended in the sixth inning due to inclement weather and the Titans leading 3-0, that game is scheduled to resume at 2 p.m. CT today. The Arkansas-Miami loser's bracket game, originally scheduled to start at 2 CT, will start 55 minutes after the conclusion of the suspended game.

Meanwhile, when the Gators do take the field tonight, they hope to stay hot. Florida has outscored opponents 68-15 in six NCAA Tournament games and 98-21 during its 10-game win streak.

Every player in the starting lineup scored Saturday, and five players scored at least twice as the Gators scored the most runs in a CWS game in seven years.

Let’s take a closer look at Monday night's UF-Virginia matchup (ESPN released a statement this morning that said networks will be announced for the rescheduled games later today):

PLAYER TO WATCH: Virginia shortstop Daniel Pinero played a pivotal role in the Cavaliers' victory over Arkansas.

Pinero had three hits, stole three bases and scored two runs. He became the first player to steal three bases in a CWS game since Brad Boyer of Arizona against Arkansas in 2004.

Pinero entered the CWS hitting .300 with six home runs and 28 RBIs. However, he was not a huge threat to steal until Saturday. Pinero stole just six bases in eight attempts in 60 games prior to taking off against the Razorbacks.

*****

PITCHING MATCHUP: Two left-handers take the mound for this one. Florida sophomore A.J. Puk (9-3, 3.96 ERA) makes his CWS debut about 250 miles away from his hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Meanwhile, Virginia junior Brandon Waddell will make the 51st start of his career, matching the school record held by Danny Hulten. Waddell pitched a complete game in Game 2 of last year's CWS championship series against Vanderbilt.

While Waddell (3-5, 4.15) has an edge in experience over Puk, his numbers are not as impressive. Waddell has allowed 102 hits and walked 41 in 91 innings, a WHIP (1.57) more than a half point higher than Puk's 1.02.

*****

GAME CHATTER

"We're feeling pretty confident. I mean, the past four or five games everybody's been contributing. Our whole lineup is producing." -- Florida third baseman Josh Tobias on his team's 15-run outburst against Miami in CWS opener:

"I'm just really, really proud of our team for again finding a way to win a ballgame. That ballgame is kind of how we've played the last couple of weeks." -- Virginia coach Brian O'Connor on his team's win over Arkansas, its fifth comeback win of postseason:

*****

NOTABLES: This is only the sixth meeting between the schools ... The Gators are 4-1 against the Cavaliers, sweeping a two-game series in Gainesville in their last meeting 26 years ago ... Virginia closer Josh Sborz, who tied for the ACC lead with 14 saves, earned the victory Saturday by pitching three scoreless innings ... Florida's Nos. 7-9 hitters -- Michael Rivera, Dalton Guthrie and Ryan Larson -- combined to go 6-for-8 with three RBIs in the win against Miami.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida and Miami have trotted onto the diamond and played baseball against each other for 75 years.

But they have never done it at the College World Series. This heated rivalry breaks new ground on Saturday night at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb.

The No. 4 national seed Gators (49-16) face No. 5 seed Miami (49-15) as the two teams begin their chase for a national championship.

The Gators seek their first title. They made it to Omaha three consecutive seasons from 2010-12 -- advancing to the championship series in 2011 before losing to South Carolina -- but came up empty each time.

Meanwhile, the Hurricanes return to Omaha after a seven-year absence, their longest streak of not making the CWS since the program's first trip in 1974.

Miami has won four national championships, the last coming in 2001.

The Sunshine State matchup is the marquee game on opening day in Omaha. Florida is one of four Southeastern Conference schools that make up half the field, joining Arkansas, LSU and defending national champion Vanderbilt.

The Gators enter on a season-high nine-game win streak, sweeping Florida State in the Gainesville Super Regional last weekend. The Gators also enter with recent success against their SEC foes in the field.

Florida defeated Arkansas, LSU and Vanderbilt during its four-game win streak to win the SEC Tournament last month.

Meanwhile, Miami overcame a loss to Columbia in the Coral Gables Super Regional to advance. Miami defeated Virginia Commonwealth in the championship game.

Without further adieu, let’s take a closer look at Saturday night's UF-Miami matchup:

*****

PLAYER TO WATCH: Third baseman David Thompson is the player in Miami's lineup that scares opposing pitchers the most.

And for good reason. Thompson leads the nation in home runs (19) and RBIs (87).

A fourth-round pick of the New York Mets in this week's MLB Amateur Draft, Thompson also leads the Hurricanes in doubles (18), total bases (159) and slugging percentage (.677).

Thompson is batting .333 and is a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Award. In what has been a breakout season following two seasons full of injuries, Thompson is within reach of former big-leaguer Aubrey Huff's school-record of 95 RBIs in a single season.

*****

PITCHING MATCHUP: This is a highly anticipated matchup that was scheduled to take place Feb. 20 at McKethan Stadium.

However, Gators starter Logan Shore (9-6, 2.50 ERA) lasted only nine pitches after suffering an injury in the first inning. Still, that was nine more pitches than Hurricanes junior lefty Andy Suarez (9-1, 2.96) threw.

Suarez was scratched due to an oblique strain that cost him four weeks of the season. Four months later Shore and Suarez are slated to start each team's CWS opener at TD Ameritrade Park.

Shore has been excellent in the NCAA Tournament, tossing 10 2/3 scoreless innings against Florida A&M and Florida State. Meanwhile, Suarez recovered from his injury to win nine of his 14 starts.

A second-round pick of the San Francisco Giants this week, Suarez has struck out 74, walked 19 and allowed 76 hits in 79 hits. Opponents are batting .252 against him with four home runs.

*****

COACH CHATTER

Florida’s Kevin O’Sullivan: "I feel good about this team. They’re playing with emotion. We’re playing great defense. Pitching has been really good -- starting pitching has been good, relief pitching has been good. We’re getting some timely hits.”

Miami's Jim Morris: “You know, it’s been a long time since we’ve been to Omaha, so needless to say, we’re very excited. I got spoiled, just like our fans and everybody else in this program. It’s a tough, tough thing to do, and there’s so many good programs out there that have never been to Omaha, or so many programs that didn’t make it to the NCAA tournament this year, period.”

*****

NOTABLES: Florida is making its ninth appearance in the CWS, and fourth under O'Sullivan in eight years ... The Gators won two of three against the Hurricanes in the regular season and have won 19 of the last 24 meetings overall ... Florida eliminated Miami from the postseason from 2009-11 ... Miami is making its 24th appearance in Omaha, second all-time to Texas' 34 CWS berths ... Morris has led the Hurricanes to 12 trips to the CWS in his 22 seasons ... Miami leads the all-time series 127-112-1 in a series that started in 1940.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Sometimes life throws a curveball your way that makes you shake your head and chuckle. Those are curveballs you don’t mind.

If someone had told me three months ago Florida’s baseball team was going to make it to the College World Series and travel to Omaha in the Rolling Stones’ private jet, I would have circled the date on the calendar and marked off the days like an 8-year-old waiting on Santa Claus.

No way would I miss that trip.

As an enthusiastic (but not psychotic) Stones fan, I have spent more disposable income on their music – and don’t let me forget that cool skull cap -- than probably recommended over the years. I once paid a silly sum for a rare imported CD at Bleecker Street Records in New York.

Sales clerk: “You really like the Stones, huh?”

Me: “Yeah, too much today.”

So, you can imagine my surprise Wednesday night, while picking up my wife at the Gainesville Regional Airport, at the sight of a Boeing 737-400 with the Stones’ iconic tongue logo on the runway with the doors open.

Before I could even text my wife to ask her to take an up-close photo with her iPhone, she texted me one as her plane passed the Stones’ jet on the runway.

She knows.

In fact, she will be with me at the Stones’ show Friday night at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Mick Jagger and Co.’s sixth stop on their 15-city “Zip Code Tour.”

But back to that airplane. And no folks, we’re not talking about the famous “Starship” jet the Stones chartered for their tour 40 years ago across America.

That was then:

“For the Stones, there was an added bonus: when the group leased the plane for their 1975 tour, it solved the longstanding problem of Keith Richards’s tardiness. The often comatose guitarist could now be propped up, wheeled onto the tarmac and tossed aboard the plane, where Suzee would be waiting with his favored drink, a Tequila Sunrise.” – Steve Kurutz, New York Times.

If you’re wondering how the Gators ended up leaving for Omaha on Thursday as passengers on the Stones’ plane, more coincidence and the machinations of the charter jet business than anything else.

The Stones played at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta on Tuesday night, and flew to Orlando early Wednesday for their show Friday night at the Citrus Bowl. They don’t play again until next Wednesday in Nashville, so with a weekend off in Florida, the plane was bid out for other charter flights.

The NCAA, in conjunction with an independent charter travel company, arranges flights for the eight schools and their traveling parties to get to Omaha. As it turns out, the Stones’ plane matched Florida’s criteria, was close by and most importantly, available.

And while, yes, it would have been cool to join the Gators today on the flight to Omaha, I will settle for seeing Mick and Keith and the boys Friday night in person. After the show, I have a 5:15 a.m. flight from Orlando to Omaha for Florida’s game against Miami on Saturday night.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The University Athletic Association Board of Directors approved a $112.8 million budget for the 2015-16 academic year on Tuesday, including an estimated $3.5 million of additional funds to enhance the student-athlete experience.

The Board also approved funding of $1.04 million for a joint venture between the UAA and UF Division of Housing to renovate the Keys Dorm Complex.

The renovation of the Keys Complex includes new entrance breezeways to improve security, stainless steel appliances, larger beds, new flooring and furniture.

Five of the nine buildings are being renovated this summer and plans are under discussion for additional buildings next summer.

“These improvements are crucial for the program and crucial for the university,'' Florida Athletic Director Jeremy Foley said.

A large portion of Wednesday's meeting centered on a $14.3 million line of credit backing a bond issued in 2001 that needs to be remarketed. The UAA is evaluating proposals from five banks in an attempt to keep its debt service at a reasonable figure in today's economy.

Foley has tried to keep the UAA's debt service under $100 million and enters a new budget year managing $95.6 million in outstanding debt.

"You've got schools out there with $200, $300, $400 million in debt,'' he said. "But that hasn’t been our philosophy."

Finally, the board approved final expenses for the Gators' trip to the Birmingham Bowl. The Gators cleared about $56,000 from the trip after their projected budget fell in line with the actual costs.

Overall, Foley and the Board voiced an upbeat tone about the future and the latest budget proposal.

"They're a number of items in this budget that significantly impact our student-athletes,'' he said. "We will continue to look at ways to enhance their experience here."

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The first one, a mammoth two-run homer in the second inning, tied Saturday's Super Regional game against Florida State.

No less towering, the second one was like an unexpected encore when you thought the show was over, a solo homer that gave the Gators a six-run lead in the sixth inning.

"They were both no-doubt shots,'' said FSU slugger DJ Stewart.

For Gators slugger JJ Schwarz, his two home runs in Florida's 11-4 victory over FSU rewrote the school record books. Schwarz now has 18 home runs, surpassing the record held by Austin Maddox (17 in 2010) for the most in school history for a freshman.

If you have been watching Schwarz of late, does that surprise you?

Probably not.

Still, what Schwarz has done in the Gators' run to the College World Series is, well, remarkable.

Since the start of the postseason, Schwarz is hitting .564 (22-for-39) with four homers, five doubles, 14 runs and 17 RBIs. In five NCAA Tournament games, the National Co-Freshman of the Year is hitting .600 (12-for-20) with four homers, nine runs and 11 RBIs. And in the sweep of the Seminoles, Schwarz went 5-for-7 with three homers, five RBIs and six runs.

"He’s just got a knack. The barrel gets to the right spot a lot. He doesn’t miss pitches and he is seeing the ball really well,'' O'Sullivan said. "He has really caught fire here. This is what happens, if you are going to win a championship, then a couple of guys really have to get hot. Obviously, he is getting to that point where he is carrying us a little bit right now."

As good as it's going for Schwarz, he knows sister Taylor will have the edge in their sibling rivalry if the Gators don't win a national title.

Taylor Schwarz's two-run single in the championship game of the Women's College World Series helped the Gators defeat Michigan and claim the program's second consecutive national title.

"This week's been un-describable," Schwarz said. "My sister winning the national championship. That's such an accomplishment. I'm so happy for her, and my parents are happy for her. I think it's our turn now. We're really excited to get out to Omaha and hopefully take one home."

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The NCAA Selection Committee has taken heat this week for some of the matchups in the Super Regionals.

If the committee re-seeded teams following regional play as many think it should, the Gators and Seminoles would not be meeting until Omaha if they both advanced. But as the system is, these two in-state rivals are playing a best-of-three series starting tonight at McKethan Stadium for a trip to the College World Series.

Regardless of your view, this matchup has diehards and casual fans talking about college baseball.

The series is sold out and will be broadcast live on ESPN2.

The Gators (47-16) lost twice in three meetings with FSU (44-19) during the regular season. Florida won 14-8 at home, lost 8-3 in Jacksonville, and then dropped a 4-3 decision in extra innings in Tallahassee.

This is just the second time the Gators and Seminoles have met in a Super Regional with a berth to Omaha at stake. Ten years ago Florida swept FSU.

The No. 4 overall national seed, Florida has a deeper pitching staff and a more balanced lineup than the ACC champion Seminoles, but FSU has proven its resiliency in the postseason. The Seminoles enter with a seven-game win streak.

So do the Gators, their longest of the season. In other words, two feisty rivals playing their best with a trip to Omaha on the line.

What else can you ask for?

Let’s take a closer look at tonight's UF-FSU matchup:

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PLAYER TO WATCH:

FSU's DJ Stewart is always a difficult out. Stewart leads the Seminoles in average (.322), home runs (13), RBIs (55) and slugging percentage (.580). He also leads the team in walks (69) while striking out only 45 times.

Stewart is one of those natural hitters who is in his domain when he steps into the batter's box. The Gators will be careful in how they approach Stewart, a 6-foot, 230-pound left fielder who played at The Bolles School in Jacksonville.

Florida did have success against Stewart in the three regular-season games, holding him to only one hit in eight at-bats. However, Stewart walked six times as the Gators often pitched around him.

Shore has looked extra sharp of late, throwing five scoreless innings against Florida A&M in the Gainesville Regional. Over his last four starts, Shore has allowed only 16 hits and five runs in 26 2/3 innings. He has walked six and struck out 20 over that span.

Meanwhile, Biegalski leads FSU in wins and has limited opponents to a .201 average. In 106 innings, he has struck out 119. However, Biegalski is prone to giving up the long ball.

Of the 78 hits Biegalski has allowed, 12 of those are home runs (15 percent). No other pitcher on FSU's roster has allowed more than six home runs.

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COACH CHATTER

Florida’s Kevin O’Sullivan: “I want them to play relaxed. We’re more focused on ourselves. With the fans and outsiders looking in, it’s going to be a fun weekend, an interesting weekend matching up with one of your rivals. There’s a lot of respect between both programs.”

FSU's Mike Martin: “We know we’re going to a Super Regional that is in one of the toughest places to play. Playing a team that is the SEC champion, playing a team whose numbers are really, really impressive. But we’re excited to be in the position that we’re in.”

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NOTABLES: O'Sullivan said catcher Mike Rivera, who was hit on the knee and missed a game in the Gainesville Regional, is 100 percent ... The Gators won their 11th regional title in school history last weekend. Five of those have come with O'Sullivan at the helm ... This is the first Super Regional series at McKethan Stadium since the Gators faced N.C. State in 2012 ... Gators freshman catcher/designated hitter JJ Schwarz has a nine-game hitting streak, batting .500 (18-for-36) with five doubles, a homer and 12 RBIs ... Florida is 7-1 against FSU at home in O'Sullivan's eight seasons ... FSU is playing in its 38th consecutive NCAA Tournament and 14th Super Regional in 17 opportunities ... The Seminoles are 1-6 on the road in Super Regionals and have not played this round on the road since their 2005 trip to UF ... FSU's last trip to the CWS was in 2012, the same as Florida ... FSU first baseman Quincy Nieporte, whose 12th-inning walk-off home run defeated the Gators on April 14, became the first FSU player to drive in seven runs in a game since Buster Posey in 2007. He did it March 11 in a 15-11 win against UCF.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Nearly two months have passed since former Gators football coach and athletic director Ray Graves died at the age of 96.

Graves passed away on April 10 in Tampa, prompting an outpouring of tributes in his honor from the University of Florida football family, coaching colleagues, friends and the state media which recalled Graves' significant impact on the Gators.

On Sunday the Gators are holding a memorial service for Graves at the place he called home as Florida's head coach from 1960-69.

Here is the official release:

The University of Florida football family lost an iconic figure when Ray Graves passed away in April at the age of 96. In his role of UF football coach and athletic director for nearly 20 years, Coach Graves had a positive impact on the lives of many. A memorial service for Graves will be held at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field in the Holloway Touchdown Terrace on Sunday, June 7th at 1:30 p.m. We welcome Ray Graves' family and friends, especially his Silver Sixties football player and coaches, to share the remembrance and celebration of his life with us.

The winner advances to play for a potential regional championship on Sunday afternoon.

These two teams are no strangers. They played twice during the regular season.

The Gators won 13-3 in Tampa on Feb. 18 and 5-1 earlier this month at McKethan Stadium.

The No. 3-seed Bulls advanced with a 5-3 victory Friday against No. 2-seed Florida Atlantic, as shortstop Kyle Teaf went 4-for-5 and starting pitcher Jimmy Herget pitched seven innings in USF's first NCAA Tournament game in 13 years.

Meanwhile, the Gators cruised behind a solid outing by starter Logan Shore (5 scoreless innings) and 17 hits. Freshman designated hitter JJ Schwarz led the way with four hits and five RBIs, including his team-leading 15th home run.

Florida snapped a six-game losing streak in the NCAA Tournament that dated to the 2012 College World Series.

Let’s take a closer look at tonight's UF-USF matchup:

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PLAYER TO WATCH: USF catcher Levi Borders has baseball in his blood, His father, Pat Borders, was a long-time major-league catcher and World Series MVP in 1992 when he played for Toronto.

Borders has started all 59 games for the Bulls behind the plate and hits fourth in the lineup. He was 0-for-4 in Friday's win but is hitting .284 with a team-leading nine homers and 44 RBIs.

A unanimous first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection, Borders also knows how to mow down runners. He has thrown out 25 of 71 potential base stealers.

Puk is coming off a dominating performance against Arkansas in the SEC Tournament. He pitched a three-hitter over seven innings in Florida's 10-0 run-rule victory. Puk struck out 11 Razorbacks and now has 85 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings.

Valdes made 22 appearances this season for USF, including 10 starts. He has struck out 70 and allowed 70 hits in 77 innings. In Florida's 13-3 win at USF in February, Valdes allowed three hits, three runs and three walks in one inning of relief.

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COACH CHATTER

Florida’s Kevin O’Sullivan: “The pivotal game in a regional is the second game. If you win that one, somebody's got to beat you twice. Anytime you are familiar with your opponent, that takes the edge off a little bit.”

USF's Mark Kingston: “We didn't look like the moment was too big for us. I thought our guys were really excited to play, but they also stayed loose and stayed focused."

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NOTABLES: Gators second baseman Dalton Guthrie returned to the lineup Friday after missing the SEC Championship game with a wrist injury. He went 1-for-3 with an RBI ... Florida freshman catcher Michael Rivera left Friday's game after getting hit by a pitch on the left knee; his status for tonight's game is uncertain ... O'Sullivan improved to 13-2 in regional play with Florida's 19-0 victory Friday night ... The Gators are 19-5 overall under O'Sullivan at home in the NCAA Tournament ... USF shortstop Teaf leads the nation with 228 consecutive starts ... Kingston is in his first season at USF after five seasons as head coach at Illinois State; Kingston was an assistant at Miami for two seasons early in his career, including 2001 when the Hurricanes won the CWS.